New VICE Series Goes Inside Gang Members’ Initiations

For JT, a young prospect making his way into a local branch of the Crips in Brooklyn, joining the gang is about family: Getting close to a group of men that care about him, and are willing to back him up if he ever finds himself in trouble.

But getting initiated is anything but easy. VICE followed JT through the process of getting “put on” to see what attracted him to the gang, and to hear why he’s willing to be “squared in”—enduring a brutal beating at the hands of some of his friends.

How do you feel about this young man’s decision? Let us know in the comments below.